Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief was born in the Osage reservation in Fairfax, Oklahoma. Her father was a member of the Osage Nation, and her mother was of Scottish-Irish descent. Her mother grew up in poverty and had to give up her dream to be a dancer, so she encouraged her two daughters to study ballet since they were young. At the age of 8, the family moved to Los Angeles, CA, to get her and her siblings into Hollywood musicals. There, she continued to learn ballet, as well as Spanish dancing, tap, and acrobatics. At the age of 12, she got accepted to Bronislava Nijinska’s studio, where she decided to become a professional ballerina.
After graduating high school, Tallchief wanted to go to college, but her father refused to pay for it, stating that its time to find a job in dancing. She landed minor dancing roles in numerous movies, such as Presenting Lily Mars, starring Judy Garland. But this was not enough for her, so she moved to NYC. She applied to every dancing company in the city, rejected over and over again because of her Native American ancestry. Finally, she was accepted as an apprentice at Serge Denham’s company, not because of her skill but because of her passport allowing her to travel abroad. After a few months, she was promoted to a member dancer, replacing a dancer who left the company.
On her first day as a company member, her former chronograph from LA who arrived in NYC to work with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo called to cast her as the first understudy for the lead role at Chopin Concerto. Soon, Tallchief received more and more parts, and within a year, she got promoted to the lead role. In her second year with the company, she received a solo in Le Beau Danube and was cast as the lead in Ancient Russia. Between tours, Tallchief took classes at the School of American Ballet, and on tours she studied from her experienced colleagues, practicing whenever she could, earning a name as a hard and dedicated worker.
In 1944, the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo hired the renowned choreographer George Balanchine for the company’s production of the Song of Norway, in which 19 years old Tallchief received a solo and was appointed as the understudy of the company’s Prima Ballerina. Recognizing her rare talent, Balanchine cast her in larger roles, such as part of a pas de trois (a three dancers act) in numerous productions, including Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme and Danses Concertantes. Under Balanchine’s leadership, Tallchief became a featured soloist, and she created and performed the Coquette in Night Shadow, the most technically challenging of the ballet. The relationship between Tallchief and her choreographer was strictly professional, and over time they became friends. In 1946 Balanchine surprised Tallchief with a marriage proposal, and the couple got married, she was 21, and he was 42. Though their marriage lasted only five years, the duo continued to work together for ten more years.
In 1947, at the age of 22, Tallchief left Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo and joined Balanchine in his new production for the Paris Opera Ballet in France. There, she was cast in the lead roles in Le Baiser de la fée and Apollo and made history as the first American to perform with the prestigious French company. On their return to NYC, Tallchief was named first prima ballerina of the newly formed New York City Ballet, a title she held for 13 years. During this period, Balanchine created roles specifically for her, such as the Swan Queen Swan Lake and the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker, in which her performance established the ballet as the Christmas classic it is today.
Tallchief’s dance style was revolutionary at the time and was characterized by technical abilities, athleticism, and precise footwork. She became known for dazzling the audience with her “electrifying passion.” As the first major Prima ballerina in the US, ballet companies from all around the world wanted to work with her. And in addition to the New York City Ballet, Tallchief performed with other notable companies, including the San Francisco Ballet, the Chicago Opera Ballet, the Hamburg Ballet, and the Royal Danish Ballet.
In 1960, at the age of 35, Tallchief left the New York City Ballet and joined the American Ballet Theatre as a prima ballerina. In that same year, she became the first American dancer to perform at the famed Bolshoi Theater in Moscow. She continued to perform throughout the world and made guest appearances with various symphony orchestras. In 1966, at 41, she retired from dancing and moved to Chicago. There, she worked as a ballet instructor, served as artistic director for the Lyric Opera Ballet, and founded its ballet school. In 1981, Tallchief and her sister founded the Chicago City Ballet, where she served as the company’s co-artistic director (in 1987 the ballet was closed due to financial issues).
Throughout her life, Tallchief frequently spoke against discrimination and stereotypes toward Native Americans. She served as director of the Indian Council Fire Achievement Award and was actively involved with America for Indian Opportunity.
Tallchief died at the age of 88 from complications of a hip injury.
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